When Heidi Beasley-Ellich sits her written VCE exams this month - whether in media studies or further maths or textiles - she will read the questions in English and write her answers in English, too.This would not pose a problem were it not for the fact English is not Heidi's first language, because she is profoundly Deaf.
Heidi attends Forest Hill College in Burwood East, which helps Deaf children enter mainstream education by providing them with in-class resources including real-time captioning and interpreters.
Facility manager Amanda Purcell, winner of a 2013 Victorian Teacher of the Year award, believes passionately in the learning system but not the rigid form of assessment that puts Heidi and others at a major disadvantage.
''Say they've been learning and absorbing VCE biology for two years in Auslan,'' Ms Purcell said. ''It defeats the purpose of allowing them to learn the subject in their first language if you're going to assess them in their second language.''
Ms Purcell returned this month from a research trip to Scotland, where exams for the Deaf work differently. There, an interpreter signs each question to a Deaf student, and the student signs their answer while being filmed.
''The interpreter will then watch the film, and translate everything that the student signed into English,'' she said. ''That's what goes off to be assessed. And that's what I'm really hoping to get here.''
Ms Purcell is compiling an options paper for the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority based on her consultation with researchers and curriculum authorities abroad.
''Over there, Deaf students are getting scores that are indicative of what they know and what they can do, rather than their English level. And they're going on to careers in engineering and chemistry, where here they might not get the score required.'' ... Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/deaf-students-break-language-barriers-20131027-2w9si.html
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